James Carney Sextet - Pure Heart
Pianist James Carney has some might heavy help here on horns – a really bold lineup that features Stephanie Richards on trumpet and flugelhorn, Oscar Noriega on bass clarinet and alto, and Ravi Coltrane on tenor, soprano, and sopranino saxes – all musicians who do a wonderful job of matching the bold energy and rich sounds of Carney on the piano! Most tracks are nice and long, and have a brashness that's got us dipping back into Carney's catalog all over again – given superb rhythm encouragement from Dezron Douglas on bass and Tom Rainey on drums – the last two parts of the puzzle for this crackling sextet. Titles include "Inharmonicity", "Throwing Shade", "Gerrymandered", "Forty Year Friend", and "Mayor Of Marcellus". ~ dustygroove.com
Gary Meggs - Life's Little Changes
A onetime member of the orchestras of Glenn Miller and Harry James, saxophonist Gary Meggs calls the release of his latest album Life’s Little Changes a “lifelong dream, a chance to help place my own footprint in the Smooth Jazz scene,” inspired by the West Coast Jazz of the 80’s and 90’s. Collaborating with rock/fusion guitarist Bryan Jeffries, who produced the collection, Meggs’ brings a bold and brash horn energy to an exciting, stylistically eclectic collection that includes spirited Latin influences, innovative arrangements of pop standards and re-imagined versions (complete with new titles) of a gospel and seasonal classics. ~ smoothjazz.com
Tony Davis - Golden Year
Tony Davis is a jazz guitarist with a difference – an artist who's not out to revolutionize his instrument in jazz, but who still finds a way to play with a very distinct approach! Tony's quality isn't easy to put in words – he's not working the fret in a weird way, or using any sort of effects or gimmicks – but he does get a very specific sound out of the instrument, one that's full of shimmering colors and light – often quite chromatic, but usually with a dexterity that might match more sharper-toned musicians! Davis' sound springs into life from the very first note on the set – given nice direction from David Bryant on piano, Dezron Douglas on bass, and Eric McPherson on drums – and the record also features work from Steve Wilson on flute and alto on two tracks, and Steve Davis on trombone on two as well. Alina Engibaryan sings on two of the album's tracks – "Lake Sebago" and "Orange Feathers", both originals by Davis – and other tunes include "Night Ride", "Braeburn", "El Gran Birane", "Hypnagogia", and a nice version of "Con Alma". ~ dustygroove.com
Jazz clarinetist Eddie Daniels’s (http://eddiedanielsclarinet.net) last album earned him his sixth GRAMMY nomination and launched a trilogy paying homage to legendary Brazilian composers. Looking for a way to top 2018’s “Heart of Brazil: A Tribute to Egberto Gismonti,” Daniels came up with an historic first for “Night Kisses: A Tribute to Ivan Lins,” which was released on August 7. He got GRAMMY and Emmy winner Bob James and GRAMMY and Academy Awards winner Dave Grusin to record together for the first time. Also special is that the clarinetist-saxophonist plays flute for the first time on a record in 30 years.
Producer George Klabin conceived the series and when he sent Daniels the music, initially Daniels was overwhelmed trying to figure out how he could use his horns to capture the heart, beauty and soul of Ivan Lins’ impassioned singing and songbook. He decided to tackle the material by allocating his lead instrumental voice equitably thus there are four songs each fronted by clarinet, tenor saxophone and flute. In addition to utilizing the same core trio that appears on “Heart of Brazil” to anchor the acoustic jazz tracks, “Night Kisses” features lush strings by The Harlem Quartet. James and Grusin each scripted an arrangement for the collection and James authored the album’s only song not penned by Lins, a piece titled “Ivante” that he was inspired to write for his longtime friend, Lins. Grusin, whose association with Lins dates back to having the Brazilian icon perform on his 1985 album “Harlequin,” plays acoustic piano on “Ivante” while James plays electric piano.
Daniels has begun learning the music of Milton Nascimento for the final chapter of the trilogy. The New York City transplant who has lived in Santa Fe, NM for over 30 years hopes that people will listen to “Night Kisses” as a “uniquely whole work.” He feels that the entire album works to provide calming along with a connection to our hearts, both of which are much needed during these challenging times.
ARTEMIS—the jazz supergroup comprised of pianist and musical director Renee Rosnes, clarinetist Anat Cohen, tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, bassist Noriko Ueda, drummer Allison Miller, and featured vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant—has announced their debut album ARTEMIS, which will be released September 11 on Blue Note Records.
The group is distinctive not only for bringing together seven singular artists, each renowned for their own remarkable solo career; but for its multi-generational and globe-spanning line-up with members hailing from the US, Canada, France, Chile, Israel, and Japan. ARTEMIS conjures a powerful collective voice from seven of the most acclaimed musicians in modern jazz. “Each member of ARTEMIS is a unique character which is what a band needs – versatility,” says Cohen. “That’s what makes life interesting and that’s what makes music fascinating – the personalities.”
ARTEMIS is a superb nine-song set that features material composed and/or arranged by each of the band’s six instrumentalists. ARTEMIS unfurls with a dynamic flow, stunningly eclectic yet entirely cohesive. “The group identity emerged organically,” Rosnes says, and ARTEMIS discovered a thrilling collective vision early in its lifespan. “We are seven leaders, each with our own vision and personal point of view, but we play with a unified conception.”
“‘Goddess Of The Hunt’ is a sonic exploration of the powerful traits that define women,” says Miller. “We are resilient, tenacious, determined, life-giving, versatile, nurturing, elegant, mysterious, cunning, persistent, and patient. I love how each soloist clearly expresses their unique power.”
“The Greek goddess Artemis is an explorer, a torch bringer, a protector of young children, and a goddess of the hunt,” explains Jensen, who conceived of the band’s name. “I feel that her character is indicative of the energies and wide array of musical tapestries that ARTEMIS the band brings to the stage as we take our music to the moon, the stars, and beyond.”
Despite its relatively brief existence, ARTEMIS has already been featured in Vanity Fair and on NPR’s Jazz Night in America, and has performed on some of the country’s most iconic stages from Carnegie Hall to the Newport Jazz Festival.
“On a sunny August afternoon in 2018, I was among the thousands of fans attending the Newport Jazz Festival who had their minds blown by ARTEMIS,” says Blue Note President Don Was. “Although each individual member of this supergroup is a bona fide jazz titan, these incredible musicians dwell in the rarefied air of bands whose whole is greater than the sum of its already sublime parts. Their musical conversation is sophisticated, soulful and powerful, and their groove runs deep.”
Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, & Brian Blade - RoundAgain
One of those rare cases where an all-star group is really worth the weight of its talent – as this quartet really sounds wonderful together, and make you know that you're in for a treat right from the very first note in the set! The best energy of the record might come from the rhythmic conception of drummer Brian Blade, and maybe a bit of the spirit of bassist Christian McBride – because pianist Brad Mehldau and tenorist Joshua Redman come off with all these really inventive, creative elements – very much structured around a sense of rhythm, although one that's nicely complex at most moments – a less-familiar sort of swing, and we mean that in the best way possible. Titles include "Father", "Floppy Diss", "Your Part To Play", ":Moe HOnk", "Right Back Round Again", and "Undertow". ~ dustygroove.com
Dominic Camardella - Soothe
A longtime expert on the evolving integration of music and technology, Grammy-winning pianist, composer and arranger Dominic Camardella brings a fascinating background to the sensual, easy-grooving melodic flow of his debut Smooth Jazz collection, SOOTHE. The owner and primary audio engineer of Santa Barbara Sound Design, Dominic has been a TV/Film sound designer and mixer who has worked with, among others, Ottmar Liebert, Carlos Santana, Anita Baker and Michael McDonald. Elements of soul, and electro-chill complement his soothing musical atmospheric, laid-back vibe as well as lush interactions with acoustic guitar and dreamy trumpet. ~ smoothjazz.com
Denny Zeitlin - Live At Mezzrow
There's few folks who approach the piano like Denny Zeitlin – and this beautiful live set is a perfect illustration of his deep talents and very unique sound on his instrument! Zeitlin is a master of balancing darkness and light – technical brilliance and down to earth energy – working here with his longtime trio with Buster Williams on bass and Matt Wilson on drums – two players who are instantly, innately responsive to the many-textured sounds that Zeitlin brings forth from the piano! And throughout it all, no matter what the mood, the whole thing manages to swing – even in subtle ways – on great takes of tunes that include "Intimacy Of The Blues", "Echo Of A Kiss", "I Mean You", "Dancing In The Dark", "10 Bar Tune", "Isfahan", "Paraphernalia", and "Star Crossed Lovers". ~ dustygroove.com
Shaun Escoffery - Strong Enough
We've loved the music of Shaun Escoffery for many years now – right from that time when he emerged from the UK scene as key talent in the Omar generation – the kind of strong songwriting voice and confident singer that really helped mark a difference from the world of soul in the US! Escoffery has evolved wonderfully over the course of his superb recordings – and here, he continues to grow even more – coming on strong, and maybe with more of a 60s soul inspiration than ever before – kind of a romping, vibrant approach to the music that echoes the Motown generation, while still also sounding immediately contemporary, and graced with a production style that maybe makes Shaun's vocals sound even more powerful than ever! We've been waiting decades for Escoffery to get the international fame he deserves – and maybe this record is the one that will put him over the top, given the strength of the songs and the overall set as a whole. Titles include "River", "Imagine", "Lucky", "Soldier", "Heat", "With These Eyes", "Need To Believe", "Candle", "You Remind Me", and "Surrender". ~ dsutygroove.com
Camera Soul - Existence
A great little group – and one with a wonderful talent for bringing together soulful styles in a really catchy way – using bits of funk, ala the Brand New Heavies – but also not afraid to go for a tighter hook, too – in a way that reminds of some of our favorite Japanese-only recordings by Swing Out Sister or Workshy! As with both of those groups, there's a great female singer in the lead – the lovely Maria Enrica Lotesoriere, who also wrote all the lyrics – and arrangements are handled by keyboardist Pippo Lombardo, whose sweet keys really hold together the whole thing nicely. Titles include "Colorado Sky", "Another Smile", "One More Chance", "In The City", "What I Deserve", and "Existence". ~ dsutygroove.com
Angela Munoz - Adrian Younge Presents Angela Munoz – Introspection
Adrian Younge's plastered his name on the front cover of this debut from Angela Munoz (why does he always do that?) – but the set is definitely a strong calling card for the lady herself – who steps out here with a strength that might well make her a key underground soul talent in years to come! Munoz has a voice that's clearly wonderful at the core – soulful, but very personal – with a range that might belie the individualism she brings to her music at first, but which really draws you into the captivating lyrics of the tunes. And yes, production by Younge is great, as is the musical help from Ali Shaheed Muhammad – but dang it, let the lady stand forth on the cover on her own – as she's a great singer, with plenty to offer. Titles include "I'm In Love", "Feeling The Same", "So Young", "In My Mind", "Stardust", "Can I Get Your Name", "Top Down", and "Don't Show It". ~ dustygroove.com
Diana Ross - Supertonic Mixes
A whole host of Diana Ross classics – all given a contemporary club treatment by producer/mixer Eric Kupper! Diana really helped set the scene for powerful, progressive dancefloor tracks in the pre-house years – and Kupper easily refits her classic vocals and rhythms with a mode that really kicks up the rhythms to more 21st Century styles – never too slick or commercial, but right at home next to modern upbeat house and club! Titles include Kupper remixes of "Love Hangover", "The Boss", "Touch Me In The Morning", "Remember Me", "I'm Coming Out/Upside Down", "Surrender", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "No One Gets The Prize", and "It's My House". ~ dustygroove.com +
James Saxsmo Gates - Stepping Out
Closing in on 30 years as a recording artist, Richmond, VA based saxophonist James Saxsmo Gates offers timely words of wisdom to accompany his sonically bold, sweetly sensual and intensely funked-out new album Stepping Out. The Founder of the Dr. Billy Taylor Jazz Studies Program at Virginia State University writes, “Together we can make it if… we Keep Jazz Alive!” Six years in the making, the faith-driven project pairs Gates’ steamy, igniting horn fire with a batch of multi-talented collaborators (including guitarists Alan Parker and Freddie Fox) to create the perfect party mix of anthem-like originals and soulful pop covers. ~ smoothjazz.com
Jon Hassell - Seeing Through Sound – Pentimento Vol 2
The genius of Jon Hassell is alive and well – and after decades of groundbreaking music and undeniable influence, Hassell continues to show the world why his own blend of electric and acoustic elements still sounds better than most! Jon's working with his classic blend of trumpet and electronics here – assisted at some points by younger musicians who owe a great debt to his initial recordings – and while the territory is familiar, it's also never facile – as Hassell's clearly out to continue pushing boundaries, always with an answer to those who might call his music simply atmospheric – because there's a huge amount here going on, sometimes at very subtle levels. Other instrumentation includes guitar, bass, violin, and percussion – often with processing in the mix – and titles include "Moons Of Titan", "Fearless", "Reykjavik", "Cool Down Coda", "Lunar", "Delicado", and "Timeless". ~ dustygroove.com
Skii Harvey - So Cruel
Sometimes we just need to allow a song to break our hearts and make us cry. When you listen to Skii Harvey sing “So Cruel” – the lead single from her upcoming album Broken - the award-winning Australian artist’s sultry and seductive, yet world-weary and grit-filled voice may remind you of everyone from Cher and Melissa Etheridge to Tina Turner and Ella Fitzgerald. But a deeper dive into her emotion reveals a true original inviting us into the dark places of the soul - where regret and longing to change reality linger long after a love’s gone wrong. On the forthcoming album, the songsmith takes on the resilience of the human heart, no matter the challenge, we always endure. ~ smoothjazz.com
Dave Baker & Rich Kurtz - Forever New
Twenty-five years after making his initial mark on Smooth Jazz stations across the globe, guitarist Dave Baker brings back his fluid melodic magic and love for contemporary and traditional jazz, pop, classical and Latin on his perfectly titled album FOREVER NEW. Teaming with Rich Kurtz (bass, cello, vocals) and Walter Runge (keys), he draws on decades as a private party and corporate gig musician to create lush, inventively arranged yet breezily accessible twists on classics by the likes of Carole King, Al Stewart, Sting, The Beach Boys and The Beatles. His lone original, the lilting title track, is equally divine. ~ smoothjazz.com
Nat Birchall - Mysticism Of Sound
One of the most unusual albums we've ever heard from saxophonist Nat Birchall – and that's saying a lot, given the very unusual qualities of most of his work! Yet this set is very special in that it's a solo effort – music by just Nat himself, but never on one instrument at a time – as he works in his own studio to create these tunes that have a strongly spiritual vibe, especially for music from one individual – with a tenor or soprano sax solo often in the lead, amidst other instrumentation that includes bass, drums, percussion, bells, and bass clarinet – plus a bit of work on a Korg minilogue! If you're worried about the album sounding gimmicky, or lacking the depth of some of Birchall's other recordings – don't – because the whole thing is as rich and soulful as all the other kinds of records that have made us love Nat so much over the years. Titles include "Dance Of The Sun God", "Omniscient Beings", "Outer Realm", "Space Time Vortex", "Celestial Spheres", "Cosmic Visitant", and "Inner Pathway". ~ dustygroove.com
Motown Moe - The New Normal
With an incredible output of 16 albums over the past 12 years, Detroit based keyboardist/producer, Motown Moe, is not only one of the most prolific indie artists in Smooth Jazz, but also one of the most diverse and innovative when it comes to developing fascinating conceptual themes and fresh sonic landscapes. With a title that perfectly reflects our unique collective moment, his latest album The New Normal could be used in regular times as a soundtrack to a romantic evening – but in this era serves as the perfect soul caressing chillout set. Drawing on his mastery of melody, gentle grooves, sensual atmospheres, synth, horns and percussion, Moe creates a free-flowing, chill and laid-back fusion of moody, impressionistic urban jazz featuring critically-acclaimed guitarist Blake Aaron! ~ smoothjazz.com
Nick Dukas - Feelin' Good Feelin' Fine
Prepare to have an unforgettable and magical night that will have you snapping your fingers, tapping your toes and dancing the night away with Nick Dukas’ single “Mr. Moon (Take It Away)” from his latest EP, Feelin Good” Feelin’ Fine. Nick shares the spotlight on vocals with Jennifer Day Morrison on this fun and jazzy melody which was co-written by Dukas as a duet with well-known lyricists Anthony Little and Morrison. Dukas, an eleven-time silver global music award winning singer/ songwriter, recently warmed up the holiday season with his feel good lyrics and artistic charm on his tune WRAP YOU UP FOR CHRISTMAS which reached #25 on the SmoothJazz.com’s Top 100 Holiday Chart. Nick’s “Mr. Moon (Take It Away)” is sure to warm you up all over again as as you tell the stars in the sky that this is your special night! ~ smoothjazz.com
Keith Mason - I Surrender All
A versatile bass player for an astonishing 45 years, Keith Mason’s life has been dedicated to and defined by his passion for two things that make his latest album I SURRENDER ALL an emotionally impactful and spiritually edifying delight – music and the Lord. With a Christian Smooth Jazz sound incorporating his love for jazz, R&B, funk and gospel, he showcases his poppin’ basslines in the service of a cool yet rhythmically punchy flow that reflects a rich anointing and some truly amazing grace. The collection was inspired by Mark 8:36 (“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”) and his titles are all expressions of his faith… the thoughtful, inviting and exuberant vibes have been Crafted to lift you up spiritually and engage you intellectually. ~ smoothjazz.com
Damien Escobar - Songs From A Breakthrough
As the global epidemic continues to wreak havoc on the lives of people around the globe, there are some who have found inspiration and creativity in the midst of the chaos. With the launch of his critically acclaimed live concert album, Breakthrough, Damien Escobar has elevated the music scene and provided a musical outlet for his many fans who have been searching for their own "breakthrough" during these trying times. The debut single, "Rain" is a contemporary rendition of the SWV hit "Rain On Me" and captures the essence and deep emotional surge of the current climate that we live in. ~ smoothjazz.com
Marshall Charloff - Unperfect
Those who listen intently to the sensual yet funky, soulfully provocative, and spiritually-uplifting journey Marshall Charloff leads us through on his new album Unperfect may find his humble title ironic – since, vocally and instrumentally, it’s truly Smooth Jazz perfection in every way. Drawing on a fascinating background that includes fronting symphony orchestras and touring globally paying tribute to Prince, and work with Atlanta Rhythm Section and The Commodores, the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist seamlessly showcases many of the elements that have defined his multifaceted career. Balancing the romantic acoustic dreaminess and sweet, easy flowing neo-soul, he grooves deeply with affirmative emotional/spiritual messages and two versions of a jam that pays homage to Prince and the sound of Minneapolis that Charloff has been sharing for years. ~ smoothjazz.com
Al DeGregoris - Time Sensitive
Time Sensitive, Al DeGregoris’ first album in four years, is the amped up, groove-intensive culmination of his longtime collaborative relationship with fellow keyboardist Jeff Lorber. Though DeGregoris is the independent artist and Lorber the legendary producer, the two work as creative equals in perfect intertwining tandem. Drawing on the funky, improvisation rich dynamics of their innate chemistry and an array of retro keyboards (but always leaving room for acoustic piano), they share a set of irrepressible tracks with buoyant melodies, free flowing harmonies and explosive energy throughout. With special guests including critically acclaimed guitarist Paul Jackson, Jr. on board along with David Mann fashioning mood enhancing horn arrangements, Lorber and DeGregoris create the musical equivalent of a thoughtful, illuminating conversation between two masters chatting deep into the night. ~ smoothjazz.com
Blue Note Re:imagined 2020 (Various Artists)
Representing a bridge between Blue Note’s past and future, Blue Note Re:imagined will feature contributions from a rollcall of internationally acclaimed jazz, soul and R&B artists – Shabaka Hutchings, Nubya Garcia, Mr Jukes, Steam Down, Skinny Pelembe, Emma-Jean Thackray, Poppy Ajudha, Jordan Rakei, Fieh, Ishmael Ensemble, Blue Lab Beats, Melt Yourself Down, Yazmin Lacey, Alfa Mist, Ezra Collective, and Jorja Smith. In addition to Wayne Shorter and St Germain, the collection will include interpretations of tracks by the likes of Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson, Donald Byrd, Eddie Henderson, McCoy Tyner, and Andrew Hill. Blue Note Re:imagined will be released September 25 on Blue Note/Decca, and is available for pre-order now on vinyl, CD, and digital formats. 7” vinyl singles of “Watermelon Man (Under The Sun)” / “Illusion (Silly Apparition)” and “Rose Rouge” / “Footprints” are available for pre-order on the Blue Note Store.
Airto - Seeds on the Ground
Airto’s second album, and second and last release for the Buddah label, brought back largely the same crew that appeared on his debut record Natural Feelings (also reissued by Real Gone): vocalist (and wife) Flora Purim, composer and multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal, and bassist Ron Carter, with contributions from Dom Um Ramão (who later replaced Airto in Weather Report) and Severino De Oliveira a.k.a. Sivuca. Given Airto’s connections to Miles Davis, Weather Report, and Return to Forever, Seeds on the Ground could easily get lumped into the jazz fusion category. But that would be a mistake. This totally unclassifiable (and, by the way, exceedingly rare) album was no mere blend of rock and jazz influences. Instead, Seeds on the Ground was truly a fusion, an ecstatic melding of bossa nova, psychedelic rock, Brazilian folk, Latin jazz, free jazz, and what we call nowadays “world music.” If that sounds a bit calculated or intimidating, it’s not; what makes this album so compelling is how organic and intimate it all sounds. Airto played with probably the three most legendary fusion groups in jazz history, and later released a bunch of albums, many for the CTI label. But it would be hard not to label this beautiful record as his crowning achievement. Our proud Real Gone reissue features the original gatefold cover art, and comes in an ocean blue vinyl pressing limited to 1000 copies.
Bobby Watson - Keepin' It Real
Bobby Watson's always keeping it real in our book – as the alto saxophonist maybe hasn't made a bad record ever, and has continued to turn out the sort of fantastic music we loved right when he was an up-and-comer in an 80s version of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers! Here, Bobby's working with some key talents from his solo years – a re-formed New Horizon group that features excellent work on bass from Curtis Lundy, drums from Victor Jones, and piano from Victor Gould – plus trumpet work on some tracks by Josh Evans and on others by Giveton Gellin! The use of trumpet is somewhat striking, as it's an instrument that's not always in place on some of Bobby's small combo sessions – and both Evans and Gellin are clearly inspired by the warmth of the leader – as both soar out with a wonderfully full, rich sound that only adds to the classic soulful touch of Watson on the alto. Titles include Watson and Lundy originals "Keepin It Real", "One For John", "My Song", "The Mystery of Ebop", and "Elementary My Dear Watson 2020" – plus a nice take on the Donny Hathaway tune "Someday We'll All Be Free". ~ dustygroove.com
Following Kahil El’Zabar's amazing success with the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble’s latest album ‘Be Known: Ancient/Future/Music’, the legendary Chicago percussionist & composer is pleased to announce the release of ‘Kahil El’Zabar’s Spirit Groove ft. David Murray’, released via Spiritmuse Records.
Kahil El’Zabar’s ‘Spirit Groove’ on Spiritmuse Records is the latest musical inspiration from the spiritual jazz master, ft. the legendary tenor sax colossus, David Murray. El’Zabar and Murray first recorded together in ’89 and their collaborative efforts span over 4 decades of exceptional explorations in the varied realms of spiritual jazz, with ’Spirit Groove’ being the defining moment upon their incredible journey to meaningful, spiritual art.
'Spirit Groove' is an easy snapping combination of live and studio recordings in June 2019 in Chicago. Whether on tenor or bass clarinet, David Murray immerses the listener in the history of this music - hearing him playing with Kahil immediately reveals the fluidity of their communication. They’re joined here by two extraordinary US musicians, Emma Dayhuff (Herbie Hancock) on acoustic bass and Justin Dillard (Junius Paul Qt) on synth, organ & piano.
In El'Zabar's own words " ‘Spirit Groove’ intends to move you nakedly with a deep sense of dance on a Mind/Body/Spirit level. From the mouths of Bebop music masters, who were my mentors and that I also had the distinct honor to play with – such as Dizzy Gillespie, Cannonball Adderley, Eddie Harris, Malachi Favors, Jodie Christine, Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk, they all expressed to me that in the beginning of Bebop, people everywhere danced with Spirit to the music of Charlie Parker! This is the moment to rekindle the motion of social relevance within the legacy of jazz as an improvised people’s movement for social change!”
‘In My House’, the first track taken from the album is a true message of hope in these challenging times. In this unique collaboration with the tenor sax colossus David Murray, they explore the varied realms of jazz & groove, with ’Spirit Groove’ being the defining moment upon their incredible journey to meaningful, spiritual art. They’re joined by two extraordinary talents, Emma Dayhuff on acoustic bass and Justin Dillard on synth, organ & piano., ‘In My House’ is of-this-moment relevant, fun and uplifting - an ode to the beauty and resilience of the human spirit. In Kahil El’Zabar’s house you can pray, reach to the soul, sing and dance… day or night! And everyone’s invited!
Vocalist Robin McKelle delves into the catalogue of some of the most celebrated women of song, interpreting these masterworks through the lens of the jazz idiom. On Alterations, McKelle follows in a long tradition of female song interpreters, lending her sultry vocal stylings to classics by a diverse list of female innovators including Dolly Parton, Sade, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Janis Joplin, Carol King, Billie Holiday, Joni Mitchell, and Lana Del Ray.
McKelle is joined on this release by a group of consummate musicians including co-producer, pianist and arranger Shedrick Mitchell, acoustic and electric bassist Richie Goods, drummer Charles Haynes, guitarist Nir Felder. In addition, esteemed saxophonist Keith Loftis is featured on McKelle's sole original composition on this release, "Head High"; and renowned trumpeter Marquis Hill is featured on Lana Del Rey's "Born to Die".
The first single from Alterations, McKelle's rendition of Sade's "No Ordinary Love", will be released in late January. Alterations will be released on Doxie Records and distributed and marketed by the Orchard.
In the making of the album, most of McKelle's vocal tracks used on this final recording were takes she sang live with the band. On the recording process, McKelle notes "The energy and connection with the musicians was so powerful. They lifted me up and made it feel effortless. I've never felt so confident in the studio." The energy and connection of the album overall is palpable; stunning interplay is displayed throughout each track. Shedrick Mitchell was responsible for translating McKelle's visions for each of these tracks into arrangements for this prodigious grouping of musicians to perform.
McKelle notes "Mitchell really understood my vision and did a fabulous job helping to make the arrangements come alive. We fused jazz, soul, r&b, blues and rock all while keeping a continuity in the music."
The album begins with McKelle's re-imagining of Winehouse's "Back to Black". A gentle latin rhythm drives this track forward; Mckelle's voice soars over Mitchell's masterful accompaniment. The album continues with McKelle's soulful take on Adele's "Rolling in the Deep", the band uses this song as a vehicle to explore the reflective lyrics with a wonderful, moody reharmonization. Guitarist Nir Felder takes a stellar solo over these changes. The album proceeds with McKelle's original composition "Head High", the artist's tribute to the female singers and writers who came before her. "It's about the power that the female singer has. To move people with her lyric and song. To be fearless. To touch people's emotions. To make change" notes McKelle. Consummate saxophonist Keith Loftis is featured on this track.
McKelle's delivers a spirited, bluesy rendition of Dolly Parton's classic "Jolene", a celebration of the lyrics in a decidedly different context than the original 1974 release by Parton which earned her a GRAMMY® for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. "No Ordinary Love" is McKelle's rendition of Sade's classic R&B composition. McKelle's fiery latin-tinged arrangement of this song emphasizes the ensemble's fantastic sense of dynamics and interplay. McKelle's voice ignites the track and is met with an impassioned solo from Felder. The album ends with a duo performance of Carole King's classic "You've Got a Friend". McKelle and Mitchell converse over King's lyrics, delivering the song's tenderness with her signature warmth and strength.
The songs on Alterations are diverse in tone and mood. The desperation of Del Ray's "Born to Die"; The exuberance of Parton's "Jolene". McKelle transitions seamlessly between the emotions of every song. And makes each one her own. To McKelle, alteration is all. As the artist notes "when you create change, you create space for something to shift in the world and in yourself. As an artist. And as a human. And that is a change for the good."
After three ECM albums with Louis Sclavis’s groups – Sources (recorded 2011), Salt and Silk Melodies (2014) and Characters on a Wall (2018) – each of them drawing upon his improvisational resourcefulness, French pianist Benjamin Moussay was invited to make a solo recording. A fresh addition to ECM’s line of distinguished solo piano albums, Promontoire is also effectively a self-portrait of its maker, touching upon many aspects of Moussay’s life and interests across the arts.
Promontoire finds its shape through careful preparation and spontaneous risk-taking. Moussay calls it “a solitary dance with the flow of inner rhythm,” one that deploys and abandons the compositional process along the way: “Written pretexts are infinitely altered according to the moment. Playing solo piano, I know the starting point and the destination. Mystery lies in the surprises of the journey.”
Although it was the solo piano recordings of Thelonious Monk that first fired Benjamin Moussay’s imagination, instilling a love of jazz subsequently nurtured in parallel with classical studies, it is only in recent years that he has embraced the solo format himself. “I was working a lot with my trio, playing as a sideman with many bands, but the idea of solo music kept calling to me. It seemed to me like quite a step to take, because there is so much history around solo piano. But, finally, I decided to do it. My first solo concerts were almost like classical recitals with very much written material, but the more I played solo the more I wanted to let go and improvise. The compositions became more and more reduced, often to just the essential elements of a melody and a few chords.” Going further, a number of the pieces on Promontoire are total improvisations, although Moussay’s structural instincts blur distinctions between the written and the discovered-in-the-moment; the album feels like a story unfolding in twelve chapters, twelve reflections.
It opens with “127,” inspired by Danny Boyle’s biographical survival film about climber Aron Ralston, 127 Hours. “I saw the film, was very impressed by it, and the melody came to me,” recalls Moussay, who is himself a committed climber and Alpinist. Rugged landscapes and mountains are evoked or alluded to also in title track “Promontoire,” “Monte Perdido,” and “Don’t Look Down.”
“Promontoire” is named for “a place in the Vosges mountains that is very important to me, a small rocky peak above a lake. The composition has changed a lot since I wrote it. It was originally in four parts, with an introduction and two other themes. Now it’s much sparser.” “Monte Perdido,” completely improvised, references the “lost mountain” of the Spanish side of the Pyrennees. “Remote and difficult to reach,” Moussay summarizes.
The pianist likens “Don’t Look Down” to scaling a steep rock face: “It’s a little scary technically.” The idea for the piece, with its very fast activity in the right hand, emerged during a Louis Sclavis soundcheck. “In concert, this piece gets expanded a lot, but I like the concentrated version we have on the album.”
Moussay has on several occasions been commissioned to write new music to accompany old silent films and three of the pieces on Promontoire have their origins in such work. Though each has gone through several transformations, “Theme for Nana,” “Horses” and “The Fallen” were all written to accompany scenes from Jean Renoir’s classic 1926 film Nana, based upon Émile Zola’s novel of the same name. “‘Theme for Nana’ describes the central figure, of course. I think of the piece as a bit ‘Sclavisian’ in a way, every curve of the melody suggesting a different atmosphere, color or emotion.”
“Horses” interprets the famous racecourse sequence in Renoir’s film, with rhythmic figures suggestive of the elegant motion of hooves. And “The Fallen” initially a character sketch of Count Muffat in the film and novel, dragged down by his love for Nana, has come to acquire a broader significance: “It’s for all those guys who try to go up only to go down – whether in the mountains or in life. It’s kind of a blues!”
“Villefranque” is named for the commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées where the piece was born. “Improvisation is often the starting point for my pieces which I subsequently develop by selecting elements and working on them. But in this case – I was recording myself on the piano at a friend’s house – the music arrived complete. I transcribed the improvisation and that became the piece.”
“Sotto voce,” in contrast, reveals Moussay’s “Chopin romantic side. I like it to be played really softly and simply. It’s like a small picture of something.”
The sprightly “Chasseur de plumes” is dedicated to the memory of a young cat who loved to chase birds, while “L’oiseau d’or” refers to the Golden Bird of the Grimm fairy tales. Finally, there is “Théa," a musical portrait of Moussay's young daughter. “This is also a total improvisation and was actually the first solo piece I recorded in La Buissonne. I like to think it conveys some of Théa’s dancing energy.” The album was recorded and produced by Manfred Eicher at Studios La Buissonne in January 2019.
Benjamin Moussay studied classical piano at the Strasbourg Conservatory, before turning to jazz composition and arrangement at the Paris Conservatory, where his teachers included François Jeanneau and Jean-François Jenny-Clark. In 1998 he won the Martial Solal International Jazz Piano Competition and has gone on to become a key figure in the French and international jazz scene, working with Louis Sclavis, Glenn Ferris, Marc Ducret, Archie Shepp, Tony Malaby, Vincent Courtois, Daniel Humair and many others, and leading his own groups, including his long-running trio with drummer Eric Echampard and bassist Arnault Cuisinier. Promontoire is his first solo piano album.
Jon Balke’s solo recordings comprise a special subset of his work, informed by the improvisational daring and compositional imagination that has made him one of creative music’s most original voices. Discourses is his third solo album, preceded by Book of Velocities (recorded 2006) and Warp (2015). The new album, recorded in sessions in 2019, takes further the integration and juxtaposition of acoustic piano and processed soundscapes introduced on Warp.
The project, he explains, was originally conceived as “a kind of elegy” for dialogue in public discourse: “Reading news and articles from a variety of sources, I am, like many people, engaged, shocked, frustrated, inspired, and sometimes glad about what I observe, and this stays with me in the process of making music. In the case of Discourses, language has been a big inspiration and a gateway to shape and mould the piano playing along the lines of rhetoric."
“As the political climate hardened in 2019 with more and more polarized speech, the lack of dialogue pointed me towards the terms that constitute the titles for the individual tracks.” [There are 16 pieces: the self and the opposition; the facilitator; the container; the assumptions; the certainties; the suspension; the polarisation; the second argument; the why; the deliberation; the first argument; the how; the mutuality; the first afterthought; the second afterthought; the third afterthought.]
Meanwhile, interaction -- at multiple levels -- has been central to the development of the material on this solo album, which operates at a new juncture of composition, improvising and sound design: “The compositions function as tools to support my improvisations, and are sometimes just vague textures, sometimes solid, sculptural, melodic and harmonic material.”
A preparatory pre-production phase consisted of the “rehearsing of tunes and structures, recording and processing of the soundscapes, trying out combinations, and performing some of the music live in solo piano concerts with electronics.” The soundscapes Balke refers to, running like a textural thread through the album, have been made in different ways, utilizing “field recordings and processed instruments. I played a lot of them on my cello and warped them with various sound tools. Keyboards were also used, and software plug-ins.” Despite the rhetorical framework for the project, Balke emphasizes that the sounds themselves are abstract rather than illustrative, “chosen only for their timbre and function.”
Recording of the piano and the assembling and mixing of the album took place at the Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI in Lugano, Switzerland with Manfred Eicher producing. Balke: “I arrived in Lugano with a hard disk of pre-recorded soundscapes, and had a plan for which pieces they should exist in, but sometimes the actual recording took another unexpected direction, which required another type of layer, or none at all. This was the important teamwork in the studio, with discussion around each choice. In this production Manfred has been a very active co-creator, and his input has been a guidance in all details.”
What has changed in the solo music since Warp? “I have tried to separate the piano sound and the layered sounds more clearly,” says Jon Balke, “so that the layered sounds are more like reflections from the room, or from the world if you like, and the piano, with its timbral richness is more resonant in itself.”
The full-bodied sound of the piano in the Lugano studio is immediately striking, as is the intense focus of Balke’s playing. ECM has a long and distinguished tradition of solo piano recordings to which Discourses seems, partly, to belong. The alluring strangeness of the processed sounds, at first almost subliminal but increasingly overt, moves it to another category, another chapter of solo performance, heightening attention - and calling for closer listening.
Jon Balke, born in 1955 in Norway, made his ECM debut in 1974, when he joined Arild Andersen’s group for the recording Clouds In My Head. Since then he has appeared on more than 25 albums for the label. A founder member of the group Masqualero, with Arild Andersen, Jon Christensen, Nils Petter Molvær and Tore Brunborg, he appeared on the Bande à Part album, recorded in 1985. His skills as arranger and composer were to the fore in the “little big band” Oslo 13 (Nonsentration, 1990) and the ever-evolving Magnetic North Orchestra, whose albums include Further, Kyanos, Diverted Travels and the anthology Magnetic Works 1993-2001. Balke also plays in improvisational ensembles including the “percussion think-tank” Batagraf (Statements, Say and Play), and the trio Jøkleba with Audun Kleive and Per Jørgensen (Outland). With Amina Alaoui, Jon Hassell and Kheir Eddine M’Kakiche, Balke launched the ensemble Siwan whose debut, recorded in 2007 and 2008, set new standards for transcultural, trans-idiomatic endeavour. A revised version of Siwan, with singer and oudist Mona Boutchebak joining Balke and kemençe player Derya Turkan in its frontline, recorded Nahnou Houm in 2017. Jon Balke has also appeared on ECM recordings with Sidsel Endresen, Miki N’Doye and Mathias Eick.
The 15 tracks on this album capture Goldman performing both traditional Creole repertoire, as well as his own improvisations, and comprise his first new album release in 13 years.
Like all good titles the title of this new release by Nouveau Electric Records of Goldman Thibodeaux and the Lawtell Playboys' La Danse à St. Ann's is the signpost to the rabbit hole that opens a new and magical world for all those who enter. Everything you hear here is about movement, about community, and family; about migration to worlds you are brought to when you hear things you thought you'd forgotten, when you see people you thought you might never see again, when you are moving on a dance floor you barely feel under your feet.
Goldman as front man for the Lawtell Playboys is deeply connected to his Creole and Cajun roots, deeply immersed in pre-zydeco LaLa music of the small rural communities like Lawtell and Mallet. His musical tutelage includes his familial and artistic connections to his relations like Eraste, BeBe, and Calvin Carrière as well as to influences like Amédé Ardoin, Canray Fontenot, Alphonse "Bois Sec" Ardoin" and Delton Broussard.
Musicologist, cultural historian and film maker, Erik Charpentier, notes the influence of "undisclosed relations between Cajun and the Creole people of small communities such as Lawtell, have blurred the lines between what constitutes a Cajun and a Creole. Therefore, it is the reason why many individuals such as Mr. Goldman carry many of the Cajuns' cultural traits while remaining Creole to the core." (source). While Goldman is truly "Creole to the core" and identifies as such, he is the grandson of rural Lewisburg Cajun farmer and planter, Theodule Thibodeaux, and his neighbor, Marie Ophelia Richard. It is therefore no stretch to hear occasional homage to Cajun musicians like Iry Lejeune, whose mentor was the iconic Amédé Ardoin, whom Lejeune often echoed and even copied in his repertoire. But because Goldman is not a purist who plays only one type of music, we also often hear strains and rhythms of pre-LaLa juré and later Zydeco syncopations in his original compositions as well.
La Danse à St. Ann's is a live recording of a dance at the November 2019 Thibodeaux family reunion. Goldman, whose background includes teaching at folklife festivals locally and beyond, is a performance artist. He is happiest and truest when playing live. While he respects the documentation requisite for any professional performer, his passion is to be with people, to get people up on the dance floor, to make them move inside themselves and to make them move in partnership with not only the dancer they hold on to but also with the culture they hold to in the dance. It is not unusual for a band member lean over and suggest to Goldman that the next song in the set might be a two-step and his response: "No, they need a waltz."
To Goldman Thibodeaux family is everything. His sons Charles and Dana came to him and Theresa from a New York orphanage. The priest at St. Ann's arranged the adoption. Goldman and Theresa went to Goldman's father Anatole, son of Marie Ophelia, on his deathbed to ask for guidance and clarity in the adoption and Anatole told them this was the right thing to do. In later years, Goldman and Theresa became the collaborative parents of single-father Dana's son Brock, who plays frottoir (washboard) and t-fer (triangle) with the Playboys when his career as a young golfer allows. Goldman and Theresa also become the caretakers of Goldman's only living elder sibling, Nelson, who died in early 2020.
Charpentier also points out that Goldman's first "official" gig was at St. Ann's where he was able to perform with "old time friends Calvin Carrier and Ulysse Gobert [...] as a full-time member of the Lawtell Playboys." Goldman is a deeply religious man and a lifetime member of St. Ann's. It is not a stretch to be reminded that St. Ann was the grandmother of Jesus and so playing here at St. Ann's might be seen as a kind of house dance at grandma's house. This cd is the "circle unbroken" for Goldman Thibodeaux and the Lawtell Playboys: family, community, culture, belief, friends, neighbors, hope, and mostly, him and his friends, "doing what we can to hold everything together."
Goldman, aged 87, is a living legend and one of the last musicians performing in the traditional French Creole style. La Danse à St. Ann's was recorded by Mark Bingham (Marianne Faithfull, John Scofield, Dr. John, etc.) at the Thibodeaux Family Reunion, November 2019 in Mallett, Louisiana. Produced by Bingham and the band's fiddle player Louis Michot (co-founder of Lost Bayou Ramblers), the album is snapshot of the band at its most comfortable, in its natural element, surrounded by hundreds of family members in a church hall.
Thibodeaux first began playing with his brother-in-law's band at age 14, and in 1966 he began sitting in with the Lawtell Playboys along with Delton Broussard and Calvin Carriere. The band was originally started in 1946 when brothers Bébé and Eraste Carriere combined their talents to form The Lawtell Playboys. Bébé, known as the "King of the Zydeco Fiddle", made his first fiddle from a cigar box and a broken window screen, and played alongside his brother Eraste, on accordion, for many years. Over time, Eraste passed the accordion position on to Delton Broussard, and Bébé passed the position of fiddle player to Eraste's son, Calvin Carriere. Goldman learned to play accordion in his 50's, following a heart attack. Calvin (Goldman's cousin) and Delton played with him often to help him learn. When Delton became ill, he passed the accordion position to Goldman. Calvin and Goldman played for several years before recording their first cd in 2001 titled 'Les Miseres dans le Coeur'. Just before Calvin died, he asked Goldman to take over the band and continue using the name "Lawtell Playboys".
One of the last living musicians to practice traditional Creole music -- often referred to as "LaLa music" -- much of Goldman's inspiration comes from seeing Amédé Ardoin play at a house dance in the Lawtell area. Perched up in a tree as the now-legendary Grandfather of Zydeco arrived on horseback from another dance 20 miles away, Goldman was thrilled when Ardoin offered to let the young boy carry his accordion to the house for him. Goldman watched every second of Amédé's performance intently, an experience that inspires him to this day. Thibodeaux is likely the last living person to have seen the great Amédé Ardoin play a house dance.
As a champion of Creole culture, Goldman has been inducted by the Acadian Museum into the Order of Living Legends and received a Folklife Heritage Award from Louisiana Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne. In 2015, he was featured at the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Bright Lights Literacy Awards. He has performed at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival for the last 20 years straight, and was asked to return in 2020; his plan was to release La Danse à St. Ann's in conjunction with that appearance. When the festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thibodeaux chose to release the album anyway to offer his fans and music lovers internationally something to keep their spirits up in these trying times.
The ASCAP Foundation today announced The ASCAP Foundation Peggy Lee Songwriter Award, established in honor of legendary ASCAP member Peggy Lee. To mark the centennial of this extraordinary artist and her considerable contributions to the world of jazz and popular music, the family of Peggy Lee created the award with The ASCAP Foundation to honor her name and legacy while nurturing the careers of promising new songwriters.
Over the course of her seven-decade career, Lee helped redefine what it meant to be a female singer and wrote over 200 songs including several modern-day standards. Dubbed "the female Frank Sinatra" by Tony Bennett, her quietly captivating voice and enchanting lyrics continue to resonate with audiences of all ages. Highlights of Lee's songwriting catalog are "It's a Good Day," "I Don't Know Enough About You," "I Love Being Here with You" and "Mañana." Along with Sonny Burke, she wrote all of the original songs for Disney's 1955 animated classic Lady and the Tramp, including beloved favorites "He's a Tramp" and "Bella Notte."
A notable lyricist, Lee frequently collaborated with fellow songwriters including Harold Arlen, Cy Coleman, Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones, Sonny Burke, Johnny Mandel, Marian McPartland, Dave Grusin and Victor Young. Her songs have been covered by industry greats such as Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Diana Krall, Queen Latifah, Barry Manilow, Bette Midler, Janelle Monáe, Nina Simone, Regina Spektor and Sarah Vaughan.
Lee was a 13-time GRAMMY® nominee, received Lifetime Achievement awards from NARAS, ASCAP and The Society of Singers, was inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Pete Kelly's Blues. With over 1,100 masters, 50 original albums and 100 chart hits, she is best known for her songs "Fever," "Why Don't You Do Right," "I'm a Woman" and "Is That All There Is?" Many of her lesser-known gems are now being rediscovered through television and film, with features in major hits like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Good Place.
Lee's granddaughter, Holly Foster Wells, worked with The ASCAP Foundation to create this unique opportunity for up-and-coming songwriters. The Peggy Lee Songwriter Award will annually recognize an ASCAP or unaffiliated songwriter who demonstrates intelligent use of language, talent and career potential. Qualified award recipients must not be signed to a major publishing deal and provide an original song that has never been commercially recorded. The program will provide winners with a cash award and the opportunity to engage with a music executive mentor.
Chicago-based guitarist Tim Stine is releasing his second trio record with Frank Rosaly (drums) and Anton Hatwich (bass) called Fresh Demons. The album documents Tim Stine Trio’s progression as a band since their 2016 self-titled debut (also released via Astral Spirits) and sees them continuing to filter their collective influences into a modern jazz/improvised setting that sounds at home in either of those worlds. There is some noise here too, but there is also extra-precise rhythmic execution and harmony from all over.
Tim Stine grew up (probably like many midwest kids) listening to hip-hop and metal. There are lots of nods to ‘metal’ on here (see the lumbering "686868" or "VVVValley"), but also rhythmic pockets that aren’t usually heard in improvised jazz. While there aren’t any hip-hop backbeats, there are plenty of sections that will make you nod your head unexpectedly.
Recorded in 2018, the composition and expression on Fresh Demons reflect Stine processing and working through challenges he was facing in his personal life. Supporting this is Frank Rosaly who puts on a clinic about how to play drums melodically. He functions like a third melodic voice throughout the album, and takes every opportunity to add sounds and surprises to each track. Anton Hatwich works with and against Stine throughout the album, and adds to the overall feel of a chamber trio with each one improvising their own parts in real time.
Fresh Demons follows Knots (2019, Clean Feed) which enlisted Windy City peers Nick Mazzarella, Matt Ulery, and Quin Kirchner. In addition to leading his Trio and Quartet, Stine has played as a leader and sideman in the groups Loris, Stine/Roebke/Reed Trio, Jarod Bufe Quartet and Nick Mazzarella Quintet.
